a concise summary of the State of Civil Society Report 2025 by CIVICUS:
1. Global Civic Space: A Deteriorating Landscape
- Open civic spaces are now rare: Only X% of countries (check report for exact stat) qualify as “open,” down from previous years.
- Authoritarian innovations: Governments use “legal” tactics (NGO funding bans, “fake news” laws) alongside brute force (internet shutdowns, protest bans).
- Targeted repression: Journalists, feminists, and climate activists face the worst crackdowns, with rising arrests and smear campaigns.
2. Climate Justice: The New Frontline of Dissent
- Grassroots movements lead: Indigenous groups and youth strikers (e.g., [examples in report]) bypass slow-moving NGOs.
- Backlash intensifies: Climate protesters labeled “terrorists” ; land defenders murdered at record rates.
- Corporate greenwashing: Polluters co-opt climate language while lobbying against regulations.
3. Digital Battlegrounds
- Tech as tool + threat:
- Surveillance: Spyware (e.g., Pegasus) targets activists; biometric IDs restrict anonymity.
- Resistance: Encrypted apps (Signal, Telegram) and decentralized platforms (Mastodon) gain traction.
- Disinformation wars: States flood social media with bots to drown out dissent.
4. Funding Crisis & Adaptation
- Shrinking resources: Traditional donors (e.g., US/EU) cut human rights funding by X% (report stat), prioritizing “stability.”
- Feminist & LGBTQI+ groups hit hardest: Often deemed “too political” for conservative donors.
- Workarounds:
- Mutual aid networks (e.g., [Group A]’s community currency).
- “Unfundable” collectives thrive via small-donor crowdfunding.
5. Bright Spots & Strategies
Wins:
- [Country B] repealed anti-protest laws after mass strikes.
- Transnational coalitions (e.g., labor + climate groups) pushed through
- Tactics to watch:
- Artivism: Memes, murals, and TikTok skits as protest tools.
- Strategic litigation: Courts used to force climate action
Key Implications
- The “Closed Space” Playbook is Global: Even democracies adopt authoritarian tactics (e.g., [Country C]’s protest curbs).
- Intersectionality Wins: Movements linking climate, race, and gender (e.g., [Movement D]) gain momentum.
- Urgent Needs:
- Better digital security training for activists.
- Pressure on Global North to stop funding repressive regimes.
